OutreachNC April 2016

COMPLIMENTARY

APRIL 2016 | VOL. 7, ISSUE 4

Come, Spring!

Exploring Health Benefits of the Season, Flowers & Herbs

Serving the Southern Piedmont, Sandhills & Triangle

APRIL 2016 |

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8 hospitals. 7,000 skilled professionals. more than 850 physicians. with one focus... our patients

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The Joint Commission top performer in 6 areas

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features APRIL 2016

28

38

by Jennifer Webster

by Jennifer Webster

A New Kind of Pantry

30

Mindful Eating

by Michelle Goetzl

32

Balance & Brawn: The Ying and Yang of Fitness

by Jennifer Webster

34

His & Her Health Screenings

by Jennifer Webster

36

Walk in Stride

4

by Carrie Frye

OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

Healthy Living Issue

Come, Spring!

42

Keep Movin’ with Community Fitness

by Thad Mumau

46

Good Neighbor Farms

by Carrie Frye

50

Decoding the New Nutrition Guidelines

by Rachel Stewart

52

Carolina Conversations with Methodist University Head Baseball Coach Tom Austin

by Thad Mumau

56

Pointed Pain Relief

by Jonathan Scott

58

Game On: Still in the Game to Make a Difference

by Thad Mumau

62

6 Ways to Eat for Your Age

by Rachel Stewart

APRIL 2016 |

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departments April 2016

20

advice & health 10

Ask the Expert

by Amy Natt

12

16

“And Spring arose on the garden fair, Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere; And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.”

—Percy Bysshe Shelley

63 life

66

14

Belle Weather

by Celia Rivenbark

63

Gentleman’s Notebook

by Ray Linville

Caregiving

by Mike Collins

20

The Nonagenarian

by Glenn A. Flinchum

66

Generations

by Carrie Frye

Brain Health

by Taeh Ward, PhD

24

Literary Circle

by Cos Barnes

COMPLIMENTARY

4 APRIL 2016 | VOL. 7, ISSUE

18

Equip Fit

by Elizabeth McKinley

25

Reading for Generations

by Michelle Goetzl

21

Tech Savvy

by Bill Fisher

26

Cooking Simple

by Rhett Morris

22

Planning Ahead

by Beth Donner

58

Game On

by Thad Mumau

Resource Marketplace Find the resources you need.

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64

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OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

Grey Matter Games Sudoku, Word Search & Crossword

Come, Spring!

Exploring Health Benefits of the Season, Flowers & Herbs

Serving the Southern Piedmont, Sandhills

& Triangle

APRIL 2016 |

OutreachNC.com 1

| OUTREACHNC.COM

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

BY KATHERINE CLARK

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OutreachNC.com 7

from the editor

A

pril showers can wash all this pollen away, but even the yellow dust cannot dim the sunshine, blooms and beauty of spring in Carolina.

Our cover story examines the benefits of spring, flowers, herbs and how even a walk in nature is good for your health and well-being.

This month, our theme is Healthy Living, and we have pages chock full of information to keep you up to date on the latest nutrition guidelines and fitness techniques with a professional or at a community fitness center. Or, join a team or make your own and walk or run for a good cause by supporting the PurpleStride for pancreatic cancer in Raleigh.

One field trip of mine to Denton yielded another adventure and the opportunity to not only learn about the art of growing asparagus but also to taste the freshly picked spears. A move from California to a farm in North Carolina’s Piedmont brought this couple a second career and an annual harvest of asparagus— which peaks in April—followed by peaches, apples and persimmons.

However, more than just fruit and vegetables grow down on the farm. A common appreciation for asparagus made for a fast friendship and mentorship for these Denton farmers. Fine Farming is readying for the couple’s third season and a spring bounty of strawberries and greens. With a view of the nearby Uwharrie Mountains as a backdrop, a new greenhouse is now loaded down with seedlings.

Standing in the fields on an unseasonably warm afternoon for almost spring, it was impossible not to soak up the moment: the sun, the southern breeze, the blue sky, the tilled orange clay and the first pink blossoms sprouting on otherwise leafless peach trees.

It was a picturesque scene to listen to the stories of two farming families, and it’s an honor to share them.

Unenamored with my return with fresh asparagus, co-editor Jeeves prefers his veggies dripping with turkey gravy as he impatiently awaits his next meal.

Thank you for turning these pages with us!

Until next month...

—Carrie Frye 8

OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

Editor in Chief Carrie Frye | carrief@OutreachNC.com Contributing Graphic Designers Nikki Lienhard, Jonathan Scott Contributing Proofreaders Jennifer Kirby, Michelle Goetzl, Kate Pomplun, Jennifer Webster Contributing Photographers Katherine Clark, Diana Matthews Contributing Writers Cos Barnes, Mike Collins, Beth Donner, Bill Fisher, Glenn Flinchum, Michelle Goetzl, Ray Linville, Elizabeth McKinley, Rhett Morris, Thad Mumau, Celia Rivenbark, Jonathan Scott, Rachel Stewart, Taeh Ward, Jennifer Webster

Y Publisher Amy Natt | amyn@AgingOutreachServices.com Marketing & Public Relations Director Susan McKenzie | susanm@AgingOutreachServices.com Advertising Sales Executive Shawn Buring | shawnb@OutreachNC.com 910-690-1276 OutreachNC PO Box 2478 | 676 NW Broad Street Southern Pines, NC 28388 910-692-9609 Office | 910-695-0766 Fax info@OutreachNC.com PO Box 2019 | 101-A Brady Court Cary, NC 27512 919-909-2693 Office | 919-535-8719 Fax info@OutreachNC.com

www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC is a publication of Aging Outreach Services, Inc. The entire contents of OutreachNC are copyrighted by Aging Outreach Services. Reproduction or use without permission of editorial, photographic or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. OutreachNC is published monthly on the first of each month.

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advice

Our Aging Life CareTM Professionals will answer any aging questions you may have.

Email us your questions!

ASK THE EXPERT

info@OutreachNC.com

Choosing Rehabilitation to Best Fit Needs

by Amy Natt, MS, CMC, CSA My friend was recently in the hospital after having a fall and hurting her knee. The hospital told her that she would need some type of rehab and explained that she would be evaluated for options.

My friend is adamant that she wants to rehab at home. What are her options?

Many times after an injury, especially one requiring hospitalization, rehabilitation is recommended. The type of rehab needed depends on the type of injury.

Your friend may need one therapy or a combination of therapies. The goal is to restore or improve function. A few of the common categories of rehab include: Physical Therapy: A focus on strength training, balance, flexibility, coordination and gait training. The goal is to rebuild strength and promote safety to enable a person to return to a normal activity level.

Occupational Therapy: A focus involved on daily living tasks, such as grooming, dressing, bathing, shaving, cooking, driving and other adaptations that may be needed in the environment to help a person function at the highest possible level.

Speech Therapy: A focus on weakness or deficit with the oral muscles, mouth or throat. Issues can impact speech and swallowing functionality. Treatments focus on evaluating communication, safety mechanisms and appropriate diet to address concerns.

Other forms of rehab may include balance therapy, respiratory therapy, neuropsychology or vision therapy.

Typically, the doctor or a social service professional orders an evaluation, discusses the recommendations and makes a referral to the provider. Therapy services are typically reimbursed through insurance, but not always.

This may depend on the initial order, the outcome of the evaluation, continued progress, and what insurance a person has and where the services are received. For example, for inpatient therapy, a three-night hospital stay is usually required. Therapy or rehab services may start while a person is still in the hospital. Upon discharge, continued rehabilitation may occur in a variety of settings.

Inpatient Rehabilitation follows hospitalization. This could be a hospital-based rehab, a free-standing rehab 10

OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

inpatient center or part of a skilled-nursing facility. This is necessary if a person is not able to return to his or her previous environment safely. The first 20 days are covered by a traditional Medicare Part A program, and there is a co-pay for the remaining 80 days, if qualified. Supplemental insurance would normally cover inpatient services.

Outpatient Rehabilitation takes place when a person is able to safely be on his or her own but still requires services to restore or improve function. Therapy may be at an outpatient clinic or in the home. Traditional Medicare Part B provides for a set amount of funds per year for outpatient services. As a primary insurance, it would cover 80 percent of the cost, and the supplemental policy would cover the additional 20 percent. If assistance is needed with daily living at home, private-duty caregivers would be an out-of-pocket cost.

Length of hospital stay and insurance requirements for reimbursement are fairly specific. If she is in a managed care plan or other non-traditional plan, your friend should find out how rehab services are reimbursed. This is where the hospital staff can assist in educating your friend on options based on the specific orders and pay source.

While many people would probably prefer a home setting, a rehab center may be necessary. The right provider may depend on location, specialty and availability. Encourage your friend to ask questions and discuss preferences. You can also help be an advocate for her by keeping notes of discussions, as it is often a lot of information to take in.

Readers may send questions to Natt, an Aging Life CareTM Professional, certified senior advisor and CEO of Aging Outreach Services. She can be reached at amyn@agingoutreachservices.com.

APRIL 2016 |

OutreachNC.com 11

advice

CAREGIVING CAN MAKE LIFE CRAZY!

Whatever Works For You, Works For You

by Mike Collins

O

ne night a few years ago, a woman who was the primary caregiver for her spouse, an Alzheimer’s sufferer, lost control in her kitchen. The fatigue, worry and stress of caregiving had finally taken their toll. She had reached her limit of answering her husband’s endless questions, corralling him when he wandered outside, trying to get other family members to pitch in and not being able to get a decent night’s sleep.

Reaching into the dishwasher, she selected a dinner plate.

In the blink of an eye, she hurled it at the refrigerator! The dish exploded when it hit the stainless steel refrigerator door. She then chose a coffee cup to follow the dinner plate ... and then a water glass ... and then another dinner plate.

Afterward, she was appalled—not at having lost control or how many dishes she had broken, but by how good her explosion made her feel. The next day, she went into their garage, hung some old blankets behind a couple of cinder blocks, put on her husband’s safety glasses and started throwing and breaking dishes. It was her way of dealing with the rage, as she put it.

A therapist might say the woman needed to work through her feelings so she wouldn’t feel the need to throw dishes, or that she could work out at a gym to burn off the rage. The caregiver’s logic was that at this point in her life, she didn’t have time to enter therapy or visit a health spa.

“As long as I’m not hurting myself or someone else, I think it’s fine,” she said.

Now, she stops at yard sales and buys boxes of old dishes for a few dollars to throw when she reaches her breaking

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point. This caregiver has a wonderful grasp of the three basic rules of caregiving: 1. You have to accept your reality. Whether you wanted it or not, your caregiving responsibilities bring with them a wide variety of changes in your life.

Step up. Accept them, learn and do the best you can.

2. Avoid negative coping strategies. Having a glass of wine after you put the one you are caring for to bed is fine; however, having a whole bottle, is not. Overeating, smoking, overdependence on pharmaceuticals and other extreme behaviors will catch up with you.

3. Whatever works for you, works for you. If whatever you are doing to cope with the craziness of caregiving—whatever keeps you sane and functional—doesn’t hurt you or anyone else, do it.

In the classic, “Anna Karinena,” Leo Tolstoy writes, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Let’s paraphrase that: Overstressed, unhappy caregivers are usually overstressed for the same reasons; healthy, successful caregivers stay healthy and are successful in their own ways.

©2016 Mike Collins.

Collins is the producer of the video, “Care for the Caregiver,” winner of a National Caregiver Friendly Award from Today’s Caregiver Magazine. For ways to deal with the craziness of caregiving, visit www.crazycaregiver.com.

APRIL 2016 |

OutreachNC.com 13

life

B E L L E W E AT H E R

‘Mom Jeans’ Are the Real Deal

by Celia Rivenbark

I

didn’t see the label until I got my new “mom jeans” home from the store.

All I knew was that, after a stressful hour in the dressing room, they were the only jeans that came close to fitting, AND I could sit down in them without that unpleasant “biscuits popping out of a can” thing going on above my backside. Which means a lot at my stage in life.

But back to the label. It said: “Heritage fit, classic rise.” OK, heritage makes me feel approximately 8,000 years old.

Apparently these are the same jeans Dolly Madison wore when it was her turn to drive in the travel soccer carpool.

But, wait, it was the phrase “classic rise” that finished me off and sent me reeling to the fridge for a glass of pinot grigio (122 calories per 5-ounce glass, which is funny because who drinks just 5 ounces?)

“Classic rise” is a gentler way of saying “genuine mom jeans.” Yes, the real deal, complete with a big, long zipper that extends all the way up to my armpits, or feels like it anyway.

For years, I have purposely not bought roomy, stretchy, stay-in-place mom jeans because to do so would be to “act my age,” a metaphorical hoisting of the big white granny panty flag of surrender.

Nope, not me. I only bought jeans with the low-rise label (see canned biscuits above), and while I was completely miserable most of the time, I reasoned it was a small price to pay.

My new mom jeans are labeled “ultra stretch,” “exceptional stretch” and “ultimate slimming effect.”

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OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

What can I tell you? Hyperbole isn’t just a river in Egypt. But I fell for it. Hook, line and slimming effect.

They move with me as I go about my day, which can now include TV commercial activities for women of a certain age like walking along the beach with a cardigan knotted at my neck, buying big bunches of flowers while happily chatting with the staff at the corner flower market and sitting in a copper tub out in a field.

Wait. You have to take your mom jeans off for that last one. While my new jeans scream, “She has bone density issues!” I can’t deny how much I love them.

I’m wearing them right this minute, and they are like a second skin. Which is great news since my first skin has also started showing its age.

I’d love to say I have “laugh lines” but that would imply that people now smile with their upper chests and knees.

I wish I’d bought these jeans earlier. Last week at a basketball game, I spent half the game worrying that each time I sprang from my seat, I would leave my pants behind. Stand, applaud, hike up jeans, sit, repeat.

At game’s end, I was more exhausted than the players. And to the guy sitting behind me: I’m sorry you had to see that.

Rivenbark is the author of seven humor collections. Visit her website at www.celiarivenbark.com. ©2016 Celia Rivenbark. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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health

B R A I N H E A LT H

Buyer Beware: Fads and Trends in Memory Products

A

s people live longer, they are at increased risk of developing problems with memory. Survey data suggests that many individuals older than 50 have a strong fear of developing dementia, which likely contributes to today’s booming industry for memory-enhancing products. Common products aimed at memory enhancement include dietary supplements, foods and computer brain training, among others.

What’s the harm?

Although the FDA regulates dietary supplements, these products do not have to be proven safe or effective by research before they are sold in the U.S. Over 20,000 emergency room visits per year are attributed to adverse effects of dietary supplement use.

Supplements, including vitamins, can have potential side effects and interactions with medications.

For example, ginkgo biloba is not supported by research to enhance attention or memory and can cause headaches, dizziness and diarrhea as well as interact with blood thinners

by Taeh A. Ward, PhD in individuals with poor blood circulation or clotting disorders.

Research There are medications approved by the FDA for use in Alzheimer’s disease (e.g., donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine), which research suggests may delay the progression of cognitive symptoms.

However, “supported by research” with regard to non-prescription memory products does not always mean that a product works or is safe. Poorly designed research studies can result in inaccurate conclusions that mislead consumers. A Randomized Control Trial (RCT) is generally considered the gold standard for examining memoryenhancing products, if the study includes enough participants.

However, even products which show benefits in animals during RCTs, such as coconut and grapeseed oils, may not have yet been proven to enhance memory in humans. There is some research suggesting that obtaining vitamins through foods may have more benefits than taking vitamin

supplements, such as eating a diet high in fish instead of taking fish oil capsules.

Research on computer brain training suggests that this method may strengthen the specific skills you practice, but individual skills do not necessarily enhance your overall performance in life or prevent dementia.

There is also some promising ongoing research that suggests possible cognitive benefits from a Mediterranean diet high in fish and olive oil, huperzine A, vitamin D and aerobic exercise.

What to do if you are considering use of a memory-enhancing product?

• Talk to your medical providers regarding any memory concerns you may have.

• Consider undergoing a neuropsychological evaluation to determine if and why you are having memory problems, since many cognitive difficulties can be improved without use of memoryenhancing products.

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• Always inform your medical providers of the dietary supplements and vitamins you are taking or are considering taking.

Be a careful consumer of memory products: • “Natural” does not always mean safe in humans or that you can take a product given your personal medical history.

• “Supported by research” does not necessarily mean safe in humans or that it significantly improves memory. So far, there is no known cure for dementia.

• Examine product research through websites, such as https://nccih.nih.gov/ research/results, to determine if the product has positive outcomes in RCT clinical trials.

• Determine if the product you are considering has potential side effects or interaction effects with prescription medications.

• Find out the recommended dose of the product you are considering and if you are already consuming some of its ingredients through your regular diet.

• Taking more of a product or using it more frequently does not mean it will work more effectively.

Dr. Ward, a clinical neuropsychologist at Pinehurst Neuropsychology, can be reached at 910-420-8041 or at their website, pinehurstneuropsychology.com.

APRIL 2016 |

OutreachNC.com 17

life

Left: SC54LX – Travel Scooter, Red Go-Go Lx by Pride Mobility

EQUIP FIT

Get Out and Enjoy Your Freedom!

O Right: SC710- Full Size Scooter. Blue Victory 10 by Pride mobility (4-Wheel)

SC715- Heavy Duty Pursuit XL by Pride Mobility

by Elizabeth McKinley

ne of the hardest adjustments to make is accepting that you have some loss in your mobility. Where previously you were quite energetic and active, suddenly, you find it difficult to attend your grandson’s ballgame or enjoy an outdoor family picnic—activities that require you to walk or stand too long. You know you need to think about options to make it easier to get around, but you think you may need something beyond the scope of what conventional walkers, canes or manual wheelchairs can provide. Have you considered a scooter?

Scooters are great gateways that allow you to get out and enjoy time with family and friends. They enable you to do more of the things you used to do, and give you the freedom to be active once again and continue to enjoy life.

The first motorized scooter—sometimes called a Power Operated Vehicle (POV)— was invented in America at the end of the 1960s, and recognition of its benefits was almost immediate. Users quickly discovered that scooters delivered the extra help they needed when challenged by distances or inclines. Today, a wide variety of modern scooters are available, including lightweight travel-capable, 3- or 4-wheeled, and allterrain, to mention a few. They range from small and compact travel scooters to luxurious, heavy-duty ones.

Travel scooters are smaller and don’t go as far or as fast as their full-size counterparts,

while the larger scooters go in the grass and move faster and run longer. One of the benefits of a travel scooter is that it can easily be disassembled and transported in the back of a sedan or SUV; the larger ones require a vehicle lift to get them in a car or truck.

Operation of a mobility scooter is accomplished with bicycle-like handlebars mounted on a tall post called a tiller.

Steering via a tiller requires the rider’s arms to remain outstretched, with the upper body fully erect, for the duration of the ride. This does require a bit of upper body strength, arm reach and range of motion, but the forward and reverse controls are easily operated with just the push of a finger.

Generally, almost everyone can operate a scooter, as it does not require the user to be overly strong. Even the smallest scooters typically require more room to maneuver than a power or manual wheelchair, making them primarily designed for outdoor use; they could be a bit cumbersome around the house.

Scooters ensure that you stay mobile and independent, whether it’s going to the mailbox or touring Disney World. By opting for a scooter, you are not giving up on your mobility or saying that you are never going to walk again. You are just choosing an assistance device for those long, busy days when you need a little help.

A scooter will give you the freedom to continue to experience life and not miss out on a single memorable moment.

McKinley, director of merchandising at SpinLife®, can be reached at 205-585-2050, elizabeth.mckinley@revolutions-inc.com or www.spinlife.com.

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OutreachNC.com 19

life

THE NONAGENARIAN

Choosing a Vocation

by Glenn A. Flinchum

O

ne of the most important decisions young people have to make is choosing the right vocation to which they will devote a good part of their lives. Many times, these young people find themselves making decisions prematurely, before they have acquired enough knowledge and experience to choose wisely.

When I was about 15 years old, I was convinced that my destiny was to be a singing cowboy, following the example of my heroes, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. I never failed to catch a matinee on Saturdays when their movies were playing.

To show I was serious about this undertaking, I saved my money and ordered a guitar from Sears & Roebuck, complete with instruction and song books, and went to work. Within a short time, I had learned to play several songs and was well on my way toward realizing my dream, or so I thought. Somewhere along the way, however, I discovered girls, most of whom preferred the more popular types of music, and my chosen career almost faded away from neglect.

Although a few years later, it was revived in a most unexpected manner. When World War II came along, and millions of us found ourselves in the military, it wasn’t

hard to find some kindred souls who shared my love of country and western music. We were able to spend some of our spare time gathering in the barracks and doing some harmonizing and guitar playing. This practice continued on and off even when we deployed to the European Theater.

After the end of the war, I found myself in Holland for a short time. The Dutch people were eager to re-connect with all things American, especially the music.

While there, I met a young lady who worked for a local radio station. Through her, I learned that the radio station was inviting American singers to come in and give the guest performances. I immediately recruited one of my harmonizing buddies, and we went to the station and gave them our rendition of some good western music, hoping to make Roy and Gene proud, or maybe a little jealous.

I don’t know what the listening audience’s reaction was to our performance, but let’s just say, we weren’t offered any record contracts. In fact, we weren’t invited back for a repeat performance. I suppose that should have told us something.

Several months later, after arriving back home, I, like many of my fellow veterans, had to make some serious choices about my life’s work. At least I was able to rule out the singing cowboy career. Been there, done that.

Flinchum is a former head of the State Office of Vital Statistics in Raleigh, worked at the National Center for Health Statistics in Washington, D.C., is a retired Army major and World War II veteran. He can be reached at info@outreachnc.com.

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T E C H S AV V Y

advice

Gadgets and Gear: Understanding Product Life Cycles

W

by Bill Fisher

henever you’re thinking about making a big technology purchase, it’s a good idea to do as much research as you can. You’ll want to make sure that whatever you buy has all of the features you want and that you’re getting it for the right price. But there’s another important question to consider whenever making a purchase like this: Is a new version likely to be released anytime soon?

For example, consumer electronics like computers and smartphones are updated regularly. Most major smartphone brands—including the iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy—introduce a new model every year. These models usually offer improvements over the older models, like larger screens and improved battery life. A similar update cycle happens with other products like TVs, cars, and refrigerators. Fortunately, figuring out the best time to buy isn’t as complicated as it sounds.

Researching Product Life Cycles There are several ways to research the likelihood of a new product release, including searching online for the product’s release date. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in a search, try some of these websites, which keep track of new and upcoming models for all types of products: • AndroidCentral.com • WindowsCentral.com • TheWirecutter.com • TheSweethome.com • MacRumors.com

Once you have a good idea of a probable release date, you’ll need to weigh your options. Does the newer model have

features you want? How long would you have to wait for the new model to be released? Is another model likely to become cheaper anytime soon? If you’re having trouble making a decision, you might consider making a pros-and-cons list for each product you’re considering. You can then make a decision based on cost, features, and availability.

It’s also important to keep in mind that information online isn’t always accurate. This is especially true when trying to learn about a potential product release. Many news sites—including those noted earlier—post rumors and speculation about unreleased products, but it doesn’t necessarily make them true.

Before making any decisions, it’s a good idea to verify the information with at least a few different websites and sources. You might also want to ask friends and family for advice, if they’ve purchased a similar item. In the end, making a quick decision after too little research could actually do more harm than good. With a little time and effort, you should be ready to make an informed decision that can save time and money.

Fisher is an instructional designer with GCFLearnFree.org, a program of Goodwill Community Foundation and Goodwill Industries of Eastern North Carolina Inc. For more information, visit www.GCFLearnFree.org/technology-buying-guide.

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advice

PLANNING AHEAD

Lucrative Spousal Social Security Benefit Ends April 30

by Beth Donner, CRPC

T

he most lucrative of all Social Security benefits, known as File-and-Suspend, comes to an end on April 30. For eligible retirees, this needs to be viewed as a fast-approaching, critical deadline since the new and less favorable Social Security rules taking effect May 1 will limit claiming strategies—strategies that would have otherwise given baby boomers access to significantly more retirement income.

The File-and-Suspend benefit is available to spouses when at least one of the spouses has reached their Full Retirement Age. The latest date of birth to fall under the current lucrative rules is April 30, 1950, so anyone born May 1, 1950 or later is not eligible for File-and-Suspend. In addition, the person who wants to take advantage of this out-going rule would have to submit the request to the Social Security Administration on or before April 30.

Many Americans leave thousands of dollars in unclaimed Social Security retirement benefits with Uncle Sam, because they don’t understand the rules of Social Security. It’s not unusual for a married couple to miss out on $100,000 or more in cumulative lifetime benefits, because they have overlooked and misunderstood the File-andSuspend and ‘Restricted Application’ options.

The monetary part of File-and-Suspend that allows couples to put more Social Security dollars in their pocket is the fact that one spouse (the lower

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wage earner) can receive income based on the other spouse’s (the higher wage earner) earnings record, while simultaneously having his or her own earnings record continue to grow at 8 pecent annually until age 70. Needless to say, there is currently no other place we can expect a guaranteed benefit increase of 8 percent annually. Smart preretirees easily understand this is a strategy they can no longer afford to overlook.

Social Security will continue to be critical to all Americans, because it remains the largest contributor to most retirees’ income and standard of living. Unfortunately, the majority of baby boomers underestimate the cumulative value of their Social Security benefits, but lifelong inflationadjusted Social Security benefits can add up to over $1 million dollars for many couples.

Leveraging the rules of Social Security and implementing a claiming strategy that yields bestcase results is crucial for every couple. The best and easiest way for pre-retirees to improve their standard of living in retirement is to maximize Social Security with a smart claiming strategy.

Donner is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and can be reached at 919-601-0501 or Beth@DiversifiedPlanning.com.

APRIL 2016 |

OutreachNC.com 23

life

LITERARY CIRCLE

‘Mister Owita’s Guide to Gardening’ and ‘The Light of the World’ Book Reviews by Cos Barnes

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t first, you may think “Mister Owita’s Guide to Gardening,” a memoir by Carol Wall, is Polly Anna-ish, but as I read deeper, I found I envied the relationship that was building between Owita and Wall. Giles Owita is an immigrant from Kenya who has an undiscussed education in other subjects but is an expert at gardening, and Wall, a high school English teacher and freelance writer with no desire for digging in the dirt. At fist, she abhors azaleas.

Owita teaches Wall to appreciate how flowers enhance her yard, previously an eyesore and the bane of the neighbors. He shows her how to prune a tree in spite of her “book learning” about such things. In fact, when he prunes a river birch and the light comes through, the book takes a different turn for me. He is as eloquent with words as he is with tools.

Through their conversations, they share family and health burdens as a lifechanging friendship develops and the story unfolds.

“The Light of the World” is a love story, but it is much more than that. Elizabeth Alexander’s tribute to her husband encompasses all the aspects of a marriage. Alexander pens a memoir that is heartwrenching, yet candid, sorrowful and joyful.

Her husband, Ficre, a chef and renowned artist, dies suddenly, leaving her with two young sons to raise.

She is a poet and a professor at Yale University and read a poem at Barack Obama’s last inauguration.

Ficre was a native Eritrean who survived the civil war in east Africa. Alexander shares all the precious moments of their marriage: the deepest grief, the joys of their union, the trips they took with the sons, the guests that visited their home and their careers. Ficre’s sudden death is a shock to the survivors. Alexander listens to her sons talk about their love for their father and their pain from not having him with them. This book is a bittersweet testament to the reality of facing loss and carrying on.

Barnes has been writing for OutreachNC since the first publication in 2010 and currently participates in three book clubs. She can be reached at info@outreachnc.com.

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life

R E A D I N G F O R G E N E R AT I O N S

Illustrating Healthy Eating with Page Turners Book Reviews by Michelle Goetzl

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eaching children about nutritious food and where it comes from can be incredibly challenging. Thankfully, there are a variety of resources to help share the story of how our food gets to us and how to make healthy choices.

Children take a journey and learn how the foods in a well-balanced lunchbox get there in Chris Butterworth’s “How Did That Get in my Lunchbox?” From the task of making bread and cheese to growing fruits and vegetables, this books makes the process fun. The book ends with an explanation of the different food groups and a statement that most of your plate should come from fruits and vegetables. It’s a big hit with kids!

Another book that shows how foods make it from the farm to our tables is “Chef Foody’s Field Trip,” by Agostino Traini, originally published in Italian but now available in English. In this beautifully illustrated book, children see how a variety of foods are grown, harvested, and turned into the foods that we know and love. In addition to showing the full farming method, this ingenious book also explains how foods are processed into things like flour, pasta, jams, yogurt and other staples. There are also sections on how we get meat and

seafood and how they are processed into individual cuts. It’s a colorful way to learn about where our food comes from.

The focus is all about eating well and how that helps keep you healthy inn Robie Harris’ “What’s So Yummy?”

This story follows two young children and their family as they visit the local co-op farm and markets. It introduces vegetarian diets as well as food allergies and the value of drinking water. It also illustrates how people may get tired or cranky when they are hungry and encourages healthier family lifestyles that feature balanced meals and exercise.

A book that reinforces what a diet of too much junk food does to your body is “The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food.” When Mama Bear notices all of the junk that her family keeps snacking on, she decides that it is time to get rid of the junk foods. A fortuitous run-in with the family physician while at the market buying wholesome foods also brings the whole family to doctor’s office for a lesson on how our bodies work and the pitfalls of junk food. Mama does a great job of moving her family away from the sugar balls and coco-chums toward healthier, nutrient-filled snacks that keep them going as they also get out and exercise more. For younger kids who respond better to fiction, this is a perfect way to start teaching them about nutrition.

Goetzl writes an online blog—”Books My Kids Read.” She loves books and sharing that love of reading with children. She can be reached at booksmykidsread@gmail.com.

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APRIL 2016 |

OutreachNC.com 25

life

COOKING SIMPLE

Asparagus Strawberry Salad

by Rhett Morris | Photography by Diana Matthews

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus cut about ½ inch down from tips 1 pint strawberries, washed and quarter-sliced 8 ounces baby spinach 1/3 cup roasted pecans 6 basil leaves, sliced thinly 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

Directions

Place basil, mustard and balsamic in a small bowl, and whisk together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slowly, add olive oil while whisking until blended together. Place spinach in a medium-sized bowl, drizzle with dressing and toss until coated.

Add strawberries and asparagus directly into the salad mix or onto plate separately.

Asparagus spears can also be dipped into a small cup of the dressing if you prefer to serve as an appetizer. Arrange on plate and top with pecans.

¼ cup white balsamic vinegar 1 cup olive oil 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. ground black pepper

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Morris, owner of Rhett’s Restaurant, Personal Chef & Catering, is an award-winning chef, specializing in Southern gourmet fare with fresh ingredients. He can be reached at 910-695-3663 or rhett@rhettsrpcc.com.

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OutreachNC.com 27

A New Kind of Pantry

by Jennifer Webster Photography by Katherine Clark

F

or those who cannot get enough nutrition through their daily diets and qualify, Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Raleigh now offers a regular supply of Ensure beverage.

Offered through a SearStone grant, the Ensuring Good Health Program helps certain Wake County residents meet their dietary needs.

Lack of food is not the only problem hindering frail or impoverished older adults from getting the nutrition they require. Some cannot make a full diet of “typical” foods such as meats, fruits and vegetables. Reasons may include problems with teeth or dentures, weakness or digestive issues following illness or surgery, and eating disabilities related to Alzheimer’s disease or similar conditions.

A supplemental beverage such as Ensure can provide important nutrients and calories. Ensure contains protein, vitamins and minerals—including B vitamins to protect against deficiency—and 220 calories per bottle. That can make a huge difference in the life of someone who cannot chew, swallow or digest food well.

Other similar beverages may be provided, but Ensure is most frequently available.

Though small, the program at Holy Trinity is robust and well-documented.

“Our budget for this year will allow us to serve 50 or more clients, depending on how many receive the maximum amount of supplement for the entire time allowed,” says volunteer Alice Nelson. “That’s one case of 24 bottles per month for four months.”

The program is set up to measure whether, and how much, the supplements are benefiting participants, allowing for good stewardship of grant resources.

The program intends for the supplements to help to increase energy levels and mobility, and reduce the risk of infection of participants. Program volunteers keep records of participants’ weight gain or loss for tracking the program’s progress.

Nelson encourages those interested to come by and talk to program volunteers, whose goal is to have potential clients and their families feel like they are having an important conversation with a friend, not asking for help.

“Appointments are welcome but not always necessary,” Nelson says. “If possible, potential clients should plan to come in person the first time.”

{

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To qualify for the Ensuring Good Health Program, recipients must: • Be 65 or older • Have a doctor’s statement that they need a supplemental beverage • Live in Wake County • Meet poverty-level requirements

For more information on the Ensuring Good Health Program at Holy Trinity, call 919-828-1687.

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T

he conventional approach to dieting often requires restrictive strategies such as counting and measuring foods or avoiding whole families of foods. While this often has short-term benefits, over the long-term, restrictive eating is often unsustainable and even counterproductive.

Watching portion sizes and paying attention to the types of foods consumed remain important, but a growing group of dietitians are also talking about mindful eating—being fully aware of the when and why you eat in addition to how much and of what.

Michelle May, MD, founder of the mindful eating workshops “Am I Hungry?” believes awareness of food and the eating process is a necessary component that facilitates behavior change.

“Many of the habits that drive overeating are unconscious behaviors that people have repeated for years, and they act them out without even realizing it,” she says.

“The process of mindfulness allows a person to wake up and be aware of what they’re doing. Once you’re aware, you can change your actions.”

In May’s book, “Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat,” she encourages people to think about these six questions: 1. “Why do I eat?” This includes looking at the variety of triggers we face from actual physical hunger to stress, fatigue and boredom.

2. “When do I want to eat?” The answer may depend on the clock, hunger cues, or emotions.

3. “What do I eat?” This examines the factors we consider when choosing food, such as convenience, taste, comfort and nutrition.

4. “How do I eat?” Is eating rushed, mindful, distracted or secretive?

5. “How much do I eat?” Quantity may be decided by physical fullness cues, package size or habit.

6. “Where does the energy go?” Eating may be

invigorating, cause sluggishness, or lead to guilt and shame. How is the energy used during work or play?

“Our social structure and fast-paced lives encourage us to overeat in social situations as well as in our over-committed lives,” 30

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Mindful

EATING

by Michelle Goetzl Photography by Katherine Clark

says Doretta Gaudreau, MS, RD, a diabetes and nutrition education expert with FirstHealth of the Carolinas. “Eat until you are satisfied, not until you are full. We are wired that if it feels good that we should get more.”

Gaudreau suggests these three tips to recognize the feeling of being satisfied:

1. Put your fork down in between bites.

2. Chew and swallow food before you put another bite in your mouth.

3. Wait 20 minutes before getting seconds.

Gaudreau is also a proponent of preparation as the key to success. She suggests planning your meals whenever possible and prepping parts of the meal ahead of time.

This allows you to get the food to the table with more ease and reduces the stress of wondering what you are going to eat. When it comes to the types of foods to eat, Gaudreau goes back to the simplicity of the “My Plate” breakdown in which you create a meal that is one quarter lean protein, one quarter starch or starchy vegetable, and half fruits and vegetables. This allows your body to fill up on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods while giving it the well-balanced nutrition that it needs.

Allowing yourself to focus on the mental part of what and how you eat can be the key to finding your way out of emotional eating and into a cycle of healthy choices.

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Balance & Brawn The Yin & Yang of Fitness

by Jennifer Webster | Photography by Diana Matthews

Kathy Allen works on balance and strength training regularly with exercise physiologist Chris Garbark.

D

espite popular opinion, men and women have similar fitness needs. Along with regular aerobic exercise, two health practices will carry people firmly into the future: balance and weight training.

Chris Garbark, BS, CPT, PES, CFL1, exercise physiologist with FirstHealth of the Carolinas, has spent 25 years helping people build fitness habits to last a lifetime. During those years, he’s found even athletic folks overlook the simple things, such as building strength and dexterity.

POWER UP Both men and women benefit from a weight-training program, Garbark says. Strength training conveys many benefits to adults. It cooperates with balance practice to help in fall prevention. It helps prevent bone loss—people add bone, as well as muscle, when they perform weight-bearing exercises. And increasing muscle mass improves metabolism.

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“Strength training is essential because it’s weight-bearing exercise,” Garbark explains. “It helps out with osteoporosis, balance and increasing lean muscle tissue. Especially for females, weight training is essential.”

As with any sport, Garbark says, people should find a weight training mentor if they haven’t worked with weights before.

“Coming off New Year’s resolutions, those without experience will come into a facility and train like Lance Armstrong,” he says. “They may be injured or unhappy with their performance, and we see them drop out. If somebody’s new and wants to make a change, they should seek professional help to get them on the right path.”

Garbark, who participates in CrossFit and is Level 1 certified, encourages even older men and women to seek out a challenge.

Fear shouldn’t dissuade anyone from pursuing fitness, he notes.

“There are pluses and minuses to CrossFit—injuries and soreness,” he acknowledges. “But you can hurt yourself walking down a flight of stairs. If you learn the movements and train smart, the likelihood of injuries will be less. We do recommend the CrossFit option, and we scale the program for the individual.”

Test your strength at home: Hold a five- to eightpound weight so your arm is hanging straight down. Slowly curl your arm up, moving your hand toward your shoulder. Average men in their 60s can lift an eight-pound weight 15 to 22 times; in their 70s, 13 to 21 times; in their 80s, 11 to 19 times. Average women in their 60s can lift the five-pound weight 12 to 19 times; in their 70s, 11 to 17 times; in their 80s, 10 to 16 times.

STEP SKILLFULLY Another essential component to lasting fitness is balance.

“Balance is the one major thing that gets overlooked as we age,” Garbark says. “If you ask somebody to do movements that require skill [and they lack the necessary balance] they are at risk for injuries. [Balance] is a huge ally for making people safer in their environment.”

Everyone, from a patient recovering from surgery to an avid runner, needs to make sure their balance is staying steady, Garbark advises.

“Even very fit older adults need to study balance,” he says.

“As we age we start to lose lateral movement patterns, which is the No. 1 thing to keep us from falling.”

Lateral, or side-to-side, movement, may be found in routines as different as side shuffles in football drills and ballroom dance steps. In daily life, people move mostly forward, with some backward steps occasionally, but unless we think about it, we may not do much side-to-side maneuvering. With those skills dulled, we are apt to suffer more damage from a fall than if we can move nimbly to the side.

CONTINUED PAGE 34 APRIL 2016 |

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

“A natural reflex of the body as we tumble is to step to the side,” Garbark says. “So we do drills to make sure the activation is still active, and if not we can improve it through exercise.”

Numerous other skills factor into balance: core (abdomen and back) strength, leg and foot power, and even how well people see and judge distances. When Garbark first meets with a client, he takes them through a series of balance checks.

“I may ask them to stand on one leg for 10 seconds,” he says. “The client is shocked at how difficult it is! If a person can’t hold it for 10 seconds, we need to fix those issues.

Then we progress into different exercises.”

Try it at home: Cross your arms over your chest. In your socks or bare feet, stand on one leg as long as you can without hopping, wobbling, etc. An average 30- or 40-year-old should balance for 29 seconds or more. 50-year-olds average 28 seconds; people in their 60s, 26 seconds; and people in their 70s, just 14 seconds. If you’re significantly below the average, schedule an appointment with a physical therapist or exercise physiologist.

THE BOTTOM LINE “Your muscles don’t know how old you are,” Garbark says. He mentions client Kathy Allen, 69 years old, who has worked with him for many years. “She stays motivated because she realizes how important exercise and healthy choices are.”

The bottom line is to start moving and stay moving. Garbark encourages people who feel reluctant or discouraged to work through their hesitations.

“Fear is something we create,” he says. “I tell [my clients] what happens if you don’t make a change: nothing. You have to get rid of fear and be willing to make some changes, because you are going to fail at some things, but you will learn from it and move forward. Once you get rid of fear your chances of success will skyrocket.”

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His & Hers Health Screenings

E

xercise is for everyone, but for health screenings, there is definitely a yin and yang—a hers and his—as well as routine tests that are important for everyone. James R. Liffrig MD, MPH, FAAFP, physician with FirstHealth, Seven Lakes Family Medicine, guides his patients through the right steps to safeguard their health.

“Get screened for depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes,” he says. “This is easy to do, and properly treating these ‘watershed’ disorders will prevent numerous, significant downstream health problems.”

They’re “watershed” problems because they’re gateways— contributing causes—to a host of other ills, from lost ability to work and play to stroke and heart attack.

“Get appropriate cancer screenings based on your age and degree of risk,” Dr. Liffrig continues. “These include mammograms and pap testing for women, prostate screening for men, and colonoscopy for colon cancer among others.”

Sometimes, people avoid health screenings because they’re afraid to find out if something is wrong.

“There is a tremendous amount of study and effort that goes into making recommendations for preventive services, such as screening tests for disease,” Dr. Liffrig says. “This work looks closely at specific groups of people that may be at increased risk for certain diseases, allowing for a targeted approach to prevention while avoiding unnecessary testing in people for whom it would make little difference.”

In other words, routine screenings check for conditions that can reasonably be ameliorated or cured, so they’re worth getting.

“If you fall into a risk category that is eligible for screening, you can assume that there is bang for your buck,” Dr. Liffrig says. “That is to say, the benefits outweigh the risks.”

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OutreachNC.com 35

Walk in STRIDE

L

by Carrie Frye | Photography by Diana Matthews

acing up running or walking shoes as the warmer weather arrives may seem like a normal rite of spring, but for three Wake County advocates, it is a tie that binds them in support of a common cause—fighting pancreatic cancer with the PurpleStride. Serving with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Liz Johnson, advocacy chair, Leslie Crawford, media relations chair, and Jim Hart, PurpleLight chair, and most importantly, a pancreatic cancer survivor, volunteer to raise awareness and funds in the fight against this fourthleading cause of cancer death in the United States.

Saturday, May 14, is the day when they and a few thousand friends gather at N.C. State’s Centennial Campus for the 5K run and family-friendly walk.

Participants don wristbands, T-shirts, hats and all things purple in honor of lost loved ones and share the triumph of those in special white T-shirts like Hart, the survivors.

“I lost my dad,” Johnson says. “He was diagnosed at stage 4, and unfortunately, that is the typical story.

Symptoms are often masked, so early detection is the key to increasing survival rates as well as more research and better medicine.”

A staggering and sad statistic is that nearly 50,000 Americans face a pancreatic cancer diagnosis annually, and 72 percent of those die within that first year. At this pace, projections have pancreatic cancer moving beyond breast and colorectal cancer to the second leading cause of cancer death by 2020.

Crawford, too, lost her father to the disease.

“I have three sisters, and we are a very tight-knit family,” she says. “I know what my family went through losing my dad, and I don’t want another to have to endure it. Whatever we can do to raise awareness and move toward early detection is why I volunteer.”

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Hart became involved with the group two years ago, having undergone chemotherapy and the Whipple procedure, also known as a pancreaticoduodenectomy.

This surgical procedure is the most common form of treatment for pancreatic cancer by removing the cancerous tumors and portions of the pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine, stomach and lymph nodes. Patients often have ongoing digestive complications afterward.

“It is the most invasive of treatments,” Hart says.

“With all of the after-effects, we need a cure for pancreatic cancer that is not the Whipple. Seventy percent of patients have a re-occurrence, so we need better early detection in place and treatments that can attack the cancer.”

The 2016 goal is to raise $300,000, and it is not too late to create a team or come out for the festivities, emceed by WRAL chief meteorologist Greg Fishel along with a DJ keeping the crowd moving to upbeat tunes, warm-up time and an entire area devoted to children’s activities.

“It is a completely family-friendly event,” Johnson says. “We had more than 100 teams last year from all across the state and as far away as New York, Florida and California. Each team creates their own theme, and we’ve seen purple tutus, boas and lots of creative costumes that stand out, which make it that much more fun. It is so gratifying and humbling to see it all come together.”

Meeting participants within the group or at PurpleStride, unexpected friendships bloom and provide extra support to those coping with the loss of a loved one from this devastating disease.

“It is a great feeling to see all of us who have been affected come together,” Crawford says. “You don’t feel alone anymore.”

Join Jim Hart, Leslie Crawford and Liz Johnson at the 2016 PurpleStride, a 5K run and familyfriendly walk, to raise awareness and funds to fight pancreatic cancer on Saturday, May 14 at N.C. State—Centennial Campus, located at 851 Partners Way in Raleigh. Registration opens at 8 a.m.

Opening ceremonies with emcee WRAL chief meteorologist Greg Fishel begin at 9:30 a.m. To register or for more information, visit www.purplestride. org/raleighdurham2016 The PanCAN Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. to build federal support for pancreatic cancer research is June 20-21. For more information, visit www. pancan.org/advocate/

Both Crawford and Johnson’s fathers had unexplained weight loss, one of the most common symptoms, were diagnosed and lost their battle with the disease while in their 50s.

“I don’t want another family to have go through what I have been through,” Johnson says. “I was too young to have lost a father, and so was Leslie. It is so shocking, because it happened so quickly.”

“I have three children,” Hart adds, “and they are too young to lose a father, too.”

In addition to the annual PurpleStride event, the advocacy group has a PanCAN Advocacy Day on June 20-21 in Washington, D.C., to gain federal support for further research dollars for pancreatic cancer.

North Carolina Central University’s Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences is one of those programs currently conducting studies in Durham, led by Dr. Antonio T. Baines.

“We need more clinical trials,” Hart says. “The hope is that an early detection mechanism that works like a mammogram can be developed for pancreatic cancer. There have been some immunotherapy trials, but all are early-stage, and we are fighting for more research dollars, which is why events like the PurpleStride are so important.”

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and as PurpleLight chair, Hart works on the remembrance ceremony held at the State Capitol in Raleigh.

“We read the names of the bereaved,” he says. “In their honor, the lights at the Capitol and Executive Mansion are changed to purple.”

As 2016 progresses and May 14 approaches, the work for the PurpleStride picks up pace and the good works of Crawford, Johnson and Hart continue.

“As a survivor, I felt alone, because I hadn’t met anyone else,” Hart says. “Now, I am part of a much bigger community. It’s not just my fight. There are thousands of us, and we are fighting cancer together. There were 23 survivors at last year’s event, and that’s the biggest group yet.”

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“

Flowers hold great power over me...

They can bring a smile to my face or tears to my eyes. They can stop me in my tracks and capture my attention. They can create a sense of peace and thankfulness within me.

”

—Joy Britt Wade Eastern NC Program Manager Pretty In Pink Foundation

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Come, Spring!

by Jennifer Webster Photography by Katherine Clark

B

ursting buds and greening twigs remind us that nature can lift our hearts as well as warm our bodies.

“Come spring come, run friend run,” wrote poet Mohammed Ishaq Abbasi. He continued: “Stop spring stop, papa mama talk, The air is gentle, the sun is mental.”

And indeed, in the springtime, we are eager for the season to come, happy for it to linger, and glad to stroll outside, talking with relatives and feeling the spell the sun casts on our heads.

Research backs up the poet’s eagerness: Green things encourage tranquility; and time spent in nature can help many of the body’s systems function more fully. That’s been the experience of Kristy Holt, floral designer and owner of Eco Chic Blossoms in Wilmington.

“I do believe that being in nature and surrounding yourself with flowers and herbs can reduce depression,” she says. “I am a lover of the outdoors, and I find if I am inside for too long, such as on gray winter days, I don’t feel at my best. As soon as I get a day of sunshine after many overcast or rainy days, I do something outside, and breathing in the fresh air makes me instantly feel better.”

Bringing flowers inside can have a similar effect, Holt says. She illustrates: “My husband recently went out of town for 10 days. I was feeling a little down about it so I bought myself a blooming hyacinth plant and set it next to where I read and drink coffee. The aroma of the flowers was so amazing; it really helped boost my mood throughout those 10 days.”

As a florist, she sees the same reaction on her clients’ faces when she arrives with a bundle of fresh, fragrant blossoms or herbs.

Of the flowers blooming now in North Carolina, Holt loves tulips, hyacinth and azaleas, as well as ranuculus and peonies. Bringing some inside, from a heavy-headed pink peony to a cluster of azalea branches, can create smiles that last for days.

“When someone has a beautiful flower arrangement in their home, it instantly brightens their day,” Holt says. “Studies have proved that the presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner.”

As the weather warms, stepping outside is like taking a full-body soak in these feelings.

“The next time you feel a little down, give these two things a try,” Holt advises.

“Immerse yourself in nature for an hour or longer with a walk, hike, or run, or just sit outside in the sunshine. Then bring some flowers and herbs into the house. I guarantee your mood will be boosted.”

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Even the smell of herbs can calm the mind, Holt says. She sprinkles essential oils, such as peppermint and lavender, on her pillow—“a great natural substitute for sleeping pills.”

Jeremy Linquist, owner, acupuncturist and herbalist at Carolina Beach Community Acupuncture, has direct experience with the healing properties of herbs.

“Nature is the world’s largest pharmacy,” he says. “You can get many different herbal remedies at local health food stores, which are great at prevention and tackling the early cases of disease. If your ailment is progressing or the general herbs are not working, then you can find a practitioner to prescribe an herbal formula that has much greater strength. Herbs that an acupuncturist uses are pharmaceuticalgrade herbs that are in concentrated form. [Acupuncturists have] access to over 5,000 different herbs. A formula is created or utilized that is specific for your case.”

Linquist’s description of the art of herbal medicine is rooted in a profound analogy.

Like many philosophers, he believes nature’s patterns correspond to the workings of the human body.

“Chinese medicine has a rich history of drawing correlations between the way nature works and the way the body works,” he says. “At my clinic, I have a big saying on the wall, ‘Bu Tong Ze Tong, Tong Ze Bu Tong.’ It means, ‘Where there is pain, there is stagnation; where there is free flow, there is no pain.’

“This is the foundation that I work on. The goal of health is to establish proper movement in the body. This includes the blood, fluids, electrons, and all the individual parts. When one thing stops working we have a dysfunction. Nature works the same way. The goal of nature is balance. All things play their part in the circle of life.”

Breathing deeply, for instance, releases stress. It also brings people into more intimate touch with the atmosphere around them, whether a deeply-scented pine forest or a field of clover. This may sound like poetry as much as medicine, but researchers are validating the insight. Just last month, Karen D. Sullivan, PhD, ABPP, came across new research from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showing that a walk in a natural setting — in contrast to similar exercise in a busy, city-like environment — alters blood flow patterns in the brain, quieting stressful rumination and promoting harmony.

So, come, spring! And, when you see her, run outside to greet her.

Joy Britt Wade and bouquet by Eco Chic Blossoms, top; Kristy Holt, floral designer; Jeremy Linquist, herbalist; jar of blended herbs for arthritis; and Chaga mushroom.

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Beneficial, Local Flowers & Herbs Herbalist Jeremy Linquist suggests how you can benefit from local flowers and herbs: • Dandelion leaves can decrease congestion and unwanted fluid accumulation; research suggests dandelion may protect against melanoma (dried dandelion root pictured in mug).

• Burdock seeds may lower cholesterol and help soothe sore throats.

• Ginsing boosts the immune system.

However, unless you are extremely familiar with local flora, ask an expert to help you make sure you’re selecting the right herb and preparing it properly, Linquist cautions.

Experience Nature for Health of It Karen D. Sullivan, PhD, ABPP, a board-certified clincial neuropsychologist, often recommends that patients spend time every day experiencing nature.

“Immersing yourself in nature is scientifically recognized to improve your psychological well-being in many ways, including: • a better response to stress • heighted sensitivity to what we see, hear and smell • reduction of negative thoughts and feelings • a sense of connectedness to our place in the natural world • an appreciation for powers larger than problems or stressors “Being active in nature provides double the benefits of cardiovascular exercise and is shown to be a powerful mood booster by reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and stress hormones,” Dr. Sullivan says. “Studies have also shown that even a 10-minute walk in a natural environment calms anxiety and promotes a more positive mindset. For individuals who may not be able to get out for a walk, setting up a bird feeder or planting flowers right outside a window can be highly therapeutic.”

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I Keep Movin’

with Community Fitness

by Thad Mumau | Photography by Diana Matthews

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t’s a little after 10 a.m. on a typical morning at Tokay Senior Fitness Center. All six treadmills are taken, and four of the elliptical machines are in motion. Someone is pedaling on a stationary bike on each side of the room.

Weight machines line the back wall, where men and women move leisurely from one station to another as they work on their upper body and legs, or do sit-ups, or take on the crunch machine. Most everyone likes to do a little toning and cardio.

Everybody shares the same general philosophy that the only way to keep on going is to keep on going. They are all thankful there is a place to do that.

Tokay is the place in Fayetteville for folks 55 and older. The facility is spacious and clean, there are plenty of machines for aerobic and strengthening benefits, and there are free weights available. And you can’t beat the membership fees—none, as it is sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department.

A couple things make exercising at Tokay special. There are so many friendly people … folks meet new folks and become friends. They share stories, problems and joys, and just plain visit with one another while working out. That makes for a really pleasant atmosphere.

And, then, there is Bryan Gaskell, the 29-year-old center supervisor. He is everything his job description requires and more. Gaskell is patient, kind and informative. He takes the time to explain how the equipment works, which machines are best for specific needs, and he even demonstrates.

But the thing almost all the Tokay regulars will tell you is that Gaskell cares. He walks around, saying good morning and asking everyone how they are doing. If someone is absent more than usual, he will try to find out if they are OK. He is just genuinely nice.

“I love what I’m doing,” he says. “I feel this is what I have been called to do. I relate to all of these people—age has nothing to do with it—because I do care about them. I’m glad they come, selfishly so I can see them, and also because I hope they’ll stay healthy. We all know that exercise helps in that regard.”

A native of Michigan, Gaskell has been with the Fayetteville-Cumberland (County) Parks and Recreation for six years, the last five and a half at Tokay. “I wanted to be a high school athletics director,” he says. “Then, during college, I did an internship with a recreation department, and the seed was planted.

“I applied for over 100 jobs, and I landed here. Somehow, I don’t think it’s an accident that I ended up in this job in this place. I have a strong Christian faith, and I honestly believe this is what the Lord wants me to do.”

“Bryan is great,” says Carl Klein. “He is nice to everyone, and he’s so patient.”

Gaskell can’t help but laugh at that compliment. “I am very Type A with most things. But with these seniors, it’s different.

I cherish the amount of experience and wisdom they have, and I have learned to take the time to listen and learn.”

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Years ago, seniors went to Rowan Street to exercise, but there was a shortage of space and equipment. In 2006, the recreation center at Tokay was converted to a seniorsonly facility. It is open and airy and offers a variety of weight machines plus a halfdozen treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bicycles.

Hours are 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. An average of a little more than 100 people show up daily, with a record 180 turning up one day in January.

Many—Gaskell estimates around 75 percent—are regulars.

Klein has been going to Tokay about eight years. “I have diabetes,” he says, “and when you have that, it is very important to exercise. Tokay is well equipped, and you meet a lot of nice people. There’s a camaraderie that seniors probably won’t find anywhere else. I go Monday, Wednesday and Friday and try not to miss. I get on the elliptical each time and work out on most of the weight machines. It makes me feel good physically and emotionally.”

Three regulars should be poster people to promote Tokay Senior Center. All are trim, all exercise vigorously, and none appear to be nearly the age they claim to be.

Margretta, 80, and Ray Adams, 81, don’t miss many days.

“We try to go every day,” Margretta says, “and have since it opened. Tokay is one of the best things Fayetteville has ever done for seniors. It has everything you want, and Bryan is absolutely terrific. Ray and I want to stay active, and exercising is the way to do that. Coming here has become a habit for us, and it’s a good habit to have.”

“I used to jog,” Ray says, “but I can’t do that any more. So I try to get on the treadmill every day and get my heart going. I had a heart attack in 2003, and this is good for me. Plus, we enjoy meeting the people. It is a real friendly place.”

Paul Reaver is trim, energetic and sharp thinking, and he’s 90 years of age. “I stay 44

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active, and coming here is part of that. This is a nice place. There are plenty of machines, so you don’t have to wait to do something, and Bryan is very helpful.”

“When I came down with arthritis, the doctor retired me from my job,” says Bessie Clanton. “He said if I wanted to get better, I needed to walk. So, 10 years ago, I started coming here and getting on that treadmill.

It has definitely helped me. It makes me feel better.”

Leroy Elliott agrees. He and his wife, Mary, both work out at Tokay regularly.

“It’s good for longevity,” he says, “and it makes me feel good that I go and do something that is good for me. And we have met so many nice people.”

No one works harder or longer than Sammy Draughon, the thin man.

“I wouldn’t be that way if I didn’t work out,” Draughon says. “I go every day, unless I just can’t get there, and exercise probably three hours a day. I’m on the treadmill and elliptical 30 minutes, off because that’s the limit, and back on. I push hard, elevating the treadmill as high as it will go, and walking a real fast pace. I do 100 reps on the crunch machine.

“I’m getting older,” Draughon adds, “and I want to stay in shape. I’ve got to be doing something. Some people can stay in the house all day, but I’m not one of them. I really enjoy working out. It makes me feel good about myself. Tokay is a nice place, and it’s wonderful we have the opportunity to go there.”

Patricia Paul was a regular at Rowan Street and has been a regular since Tokay became a senior center. “I just enjoy it. I go for health reasons, like most everybody else. I like mornings, and I usually do the treadmill, elliptical and bike. Bryan is such a nice guy and is always ready to help. The atmosphere is so friendly, too. Everything is just perfect.”

“I have liked going to Tokay from the first time,” says Debbie Carter, “and my doctor has liked the results. The people there make it kind of like family, and that’s one more reason I enjoy it so much.”

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APRIL 2016 |

3/8/2016 2:11:43 PM 45 OutreachNC.com

Fine Farming DENTON, NC

by Carrie Frye | Photography by Diana Matthews

W

hen others might have opted for retirement and sleeping in as the sun rises over the Uwharries, southern Davidson County and the town of Denton, Curt Jack is already hard at work picking this season’s asparagus at The Persimmon Branch Farm.

“The heat is what pushes the asparagus up,” Curt explains.

“We usually pick 100 pounds a day, and sometimes, I can look back and ask myself if I have already picked that row.

It grows that fast—three to four inches a day.”

The asparagus sprouts from 1-year-old rootstock.

Persimmon Branch has been harvesting asparagus since

Curt and his wife, Sarah, moved from California to the North Carolina Piedmont in 2003, where the clay provides fertile ground. Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins K, B, C and E, as well as folate, asparagus is often deemed one of the healthiest vegetables.

“We were already familiar with growing it out West,” Curt says. “It is a very labor-intensive crop, but we felt like we could fill a niche market at the farmers market.”

The labor-intensive part involves using a long-handled tool to slice each asparagus spear. Curt works the rows methodically, examining which spears are ripe for picking.

WANT TO GO?

The Persimmon Branch Farm is located at 485 Yates Road in Denton. For information on events, farm tours or produce, call 336-859-9476 or visit www.thepersimmonbranch.com.

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“Everything on the farm is grown in a sustainable fashion without any restricted-use chemicals,” Curt says, “so the spears are as close to being grown in a backyard garden, just on a larger scale.”

Once the asparagus is picked, it is immediately rinsed.

“We get it picked when it’s cool and get it into water right away,” he says. “Asparagus is just like fresh flowers, it should be stored upright and in water, and cut off the ends to let it soak up the water.”

Once the spears are washed, Curt groups them into one-pound bundles ready for the farmers market.

“Asparagus does very well at the market,” says Curt, who takes it to the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market in Greensboro. “ I can take 200 to 300 pounds and sell out by 11 a.m. We have several customers who buy large quantities and freeze it. Just blanche it, cool it down on wax paper in the freezer, and then transfer it into freezer bags, and it is recipe-ready for soups, casseroles or a side dish.”

However, fresh and in-season, grilled asparagus is Curt’s preference.

“Marinate it in Italian dressing,” he says, “and then put it on the grill for a couple minutes.”

“Or marinate it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a little bit of Kosher salt, and then grill it,” Sarah adds.

Savoring the fruit of their labors of the farm is one of the benefits, but the ripe asparagus is only the beginning of the growing season at Persimmon Branch, which is primarily an orchard of peach, apple and persimmon trees.

In fact, there are 22 varieties of peaches available that ripen from May to August. Apples begin in July, and persimmons in October and November. This acreage has been a family farm since the 1700s and is still producing a bountiful harvest.

Persimmons were once much more plentiful, but as the couple lost trees, Curt replenished the orchard with more peach and apple trees.

Rows of Galaxy peach trees with bursts of pink flowers show spring is in full bloom.

“We do about as much as a one-horse operation outfit can do,” says Curt, smiling.

“It is honest work and hard work, and sometimes, I wear out my prayer bones, but if I had to do it over again, I would plant things differently, but I would do it again.”

The peach season is when the farm stand opens, and Curt spends his days picking and greeting visitors to the farm. Sarah’s full-time job as a teaching assistant provides the summers off so she can be hands-on with farm tours and produce sales.

“My favorite peach is the Ranger,” Curt says. “It’s a yellow peach with little-to-no shelf life, but it is so good.

If you start on one of those, you don’t come up for air.”

The soil, too, matters when it comes to peaches.

“Every peach is going to have a different texture and flavor depending upon the soil where it is grown,” he says.

“The clay provides a rich flavor.”

That flavor and the couple’s warm welcome keep visitors coming back for more, year after year.

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Opening the farm to educational tours for church, civic, school and senior groups, the Jacks enjoy sharing their love for the land.

“What I enjoy the most is spending time with our customers,” Curt says. “People think they will just come out and buy some peaches and be here 10 minutes, and then they’re here for an hour, and we have ‘church.’ It’s a great opportunity to minister, which is one of my passions.”

That passion for the Lord and growing things makes for easy conversation, which is how Curt and Sarah became friends with their fellow farming neighbors, Michael and Janice Fine of Fine Farming, and their 2-year-old son, Obed.

“Janice came by, and we talked for a nice long time,” Curt recalls. “She started buying asparagus and peaches, and asking advice about farming.”

The Fines are embarking upon their third season of farming, utilizing their degrees in agricultural science from N.C. State University.

Janice was born and raised on her family’s farm in Maryland, while Michael is a native of Denton.

Gradually growing their acreage and crops, they have gone from one acre in their first season to now seven for their third, while being business-minded and neighborly.

“Curt is only 10 minutes away, about four and a half miles from us,” Michael says. “I was just over there earlier dropping off strawberry bins for him to use for picking asparagus. Curt is always buzzing in my ear. It is because

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of him that we were able to get our local tomatoes into Conrad & Hinkle Food Market in Lexington. It is a popular general store on Main Street, and we met them through Curt. He’s my mentor.”

Helping each other, Michael handles the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market for both farms during Curt’s busy peach season by manning side-by-side booths. Being at the market enables Michael to listen to the needs of his customers and tailor the farm’s offerings to yield the best returns. Spring greens are a top request, so the Fines are working to cultivate niche markets like the asparagus at Persimmon Branch.

“The majority of our customers are 50-plus,” he says, “and they retain the tradition of asking for a bushel, so they can use what they want fresh and then freeze or can the rest, which is great for us. I love to sell a bushel. And then they tell us how much they like to see younger folks farming. We will always grow and farm. The questions is: Can we make money doing it? And that’s what is tough.”

Still maintaining part-time jobs, the couple’s goal is to be full-time farmers. That joy the Fines have for their family farm shows in all of their efforts already.

Since moving onto their land last April, Michael has constructed a farm stand and a new greenhouse, which is heated by a water stove. Evenings are when they sit at a table in their basement readying seed trays.

“I really love growing things,” Janice says. “Growing up, I worked in a couple of greenhouses, so that’s when I knew this was what I wanted to do. I would like to see us be able to add flowers and herbs as we keep growing.”

“Our season kicks off with kale and collards,” adds Michael, showing the line of trays he and Janice have planted. “There are thousands of seedlings in the greenhouse. People have gotten to know us for our greens, but we are going to surprise them this year by having broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. We’ll have carrots and spring onions, too. Having this extra acreage gives us opportunites to grow more varieties.”

The Fines’ farm stand will be set up and ready May through November to greet passersby driving along N.C. Highway 8. Michael and Janice are most excited about their strawberries this season.

“There are no strawberry farms for 20 miles in any direction,” Michael says, “and we want to offer that experience for families to come out to pick strawberries and make memories. I feel good about what we are seeing,” he says, standing among the couple’s 6,000 strawberry plants with Obed at his side.

Next to the greenhouse, a myriad of seed trays with red peppers, Mortgage Lifter heirloom tomatoes, German

Johnson tomatoes—another heirloom variety— and a favorite of Michael’s, the Mountain Fresh tomato await their transplant from the tray to the Piedmont clay.

“Mountain Fresh is a variety bred at N.C. State specifically for the Piedmont,” he says. “Since that’s where Janice and I went to school and where we met, we have to grow these.”

The Fines are happy to be able to provide fresh, highquality fruits and vegetables to their neighbors and visitors alike, especially those making a summertime road trip to the Denton FarmPark and the Southeast Old Thresher’s Reunion—the largest antique farm machinery show in the Southeast, held annually in July.

Along with tomatoes, visitors to the farm this summer are in for a treat with Michael’s oblong watermelon that he aptly named the Obed Jo after his son.

“I like that what we are producing is something vital to our community,” Michael says. “I also truly enjoy seeing it from start to finish, walking the seed to the finish line.

You have to have passion.”

WANT TO GO?

Fine Farming’s onsite farm stand, located at 19562 N.C. Highway 8 in Denton, opens in May. For information on strawberries and spring crops, visit www.finefarmingnc.com

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Decoding the New

Nutritional Guidelines

I

s butter still bad? Are carbs OKnow? The new year brings a fresh set of dietary guidelines from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Released every five years, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) shift based on the health of Americans, while aiming to highlight areas for improvement. The new rules aren’t meant to be confusing, but adaptable to your lifestyle, says Laura Buxenbaum, MPH, RD, LDN, assistant director of nutrition affairs at the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association.

“The new dietary guidelines take into account the different eating styles and patterns Americans have,” Buxenbaum explains. “One of the key recommendations of the DGAs is: Consume a healthy eating pattern that accounts for all foods and beverages within an appropriate calorie level.”

Some recommendations haven’t changed, though.

Meals should be composed of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean sources of protein, such as meat, poultry, legumes, nuts, and oils. This year’s guidelines focus on slashing added sugar intake to 10 percent.

by Rachel Stewart Photography by Diana Matthews

“Currently, we consume 13 to 17 percent of our calories from added sugar,” Buxenbaum says. “For someone that eats 2,000 calories a day, that would be 200 calories ... or 12 teaspoons of sugar.”

However, these limits don’t apply to foods that naturally have sugar in them, such as fresh fruit, dairy or unsweetened milk products.

“I hope these new recommendations will encourage people to consume more whole foods and move away from the higher-processed foods,” Buxenbaum says.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race Healthy eating takes commitment and mindfulness for people of all ages. Don’t be tempted to overhaul lifelong bad habits, because it might mean you fall back into unhealthy patterns again.

“As a registered dietitian, I have always recommended that individuals do this slowly, and don’t try to change everything in your diet all at once,” says Buxenbaum.

“Identify areas of improvement and make gradual weekly changes.”

Simple, slow changes include: • Drink club soda or mineral water instead of soda • Top cereal or low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit • Swap chips for raw veggies • Nibble on dry fruit or nuts instead of crackers

Writing your process down in a journal or marking your new habits on a calendar can show you how far you’ve come.

“Small changes will lead to big results,” Buxenbaum says. “If we gradually make changes in our diets, we are more likely to be successful at the change.”

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Need more advice on nutrition or healthy eating tips? Head over to southeastdairy.org for nutrition facts and a library of yummy recipes for all ages.

Why Even ‘Healthy’ Fad Diets Are Bad People are often looking for a quick fix to look good or drop a couple extra pounds. They are turning to the Internet for answers—some of which may even seem healthy. From week-long juice “cleanses” to cutting out entire food groups, many popular fad diets are now disguised as healthy to those who don’t read between the lines.

While limiting carbohydrates or animal-based protein can have a positive impact on your overall health, cutting out too much too quickly or for too long could have a negative impact. Buxenbaum cautions to look at these type of eating patterns from a long-term perspective.

“These diets aren’t great for long-term health, because they are not maintainable,” Buxenbaum says. “Certainly, we can stick to a certain diet for several weeks or maybe even months, but is it reasonable to maintain this diet throughout our lives?”

While some fad diets may focus on a few important vitamins and minerals, Buxenbaum cautions that some nutrients may be cut out completely, which could actually hurt a person’s health down the road.

Food is also more than just nourishment for the body,

but also a sensory experience, and typically a time spent catching up with family and friends.

“Food adds lots of pleasure to our lives, and we are connected to it in many ways,” Buxenbaum says. “It is important to learn how to fit all foods into a healthy lifestyle, and when we go on fad diets, we are providing limitations that set us up for failure.”

B,M,V: Three Letters to Remember Trying to plan out your meals for the week? Buxenbaum recommends keeping these three basic thoughts in mind: • B is for balance. Be mindful of what makes up the meals you’re eating—too much salt, sugar or fat can lead to heart disease, diabetes or stroke.

• M is for moderation. Having a glass of wine or sharing a dessert after a meal is fine every once in a while. The same goes for popcorn at the movies or a hot dog at the ball game. Enjoy these indulgences instead of denying yourself. Set a treat time or date so you can look forward to the splurge.

• V is for variety. Eat a wide variety of foods each day, and make what you put on your plate as colorful as possible. (More colors equals more nutrients.)

Slow Cooker Fresh Veggie Lasagna This decadent-tasting dish only takes a few minutes to assemble in your slow cooker first thing in the morning. It’s the perfect choice for a lazy Saturday lunch or filling weekday supper. Serve with a tossed salad for an extra serving of veggies.

Servings: 6 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 4 hours

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup low-sodium fat-free marinara sauce (plus additional for serving) 1 medium zucchini, diced 4 no-boil lasagna noodles 1 (9-ounce) bag baby spinach 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Directions

Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, oregano and garlic powder.

Spread 2 tablespoons of pasta sauce in bottom of slow cooker. Sprinkle one half of zucchini over sauce and top with one third of cheese mixture. Break 2 noodles into pieces to cover cheese.

Spread 2 tablespoons of sauce and then layer half of spinach and half of mushrooms. Repeat layers, ending with cheese and the remaining sauce. Firmly press ingredients into slow cooker.

Cover and cook over low heat 4 hours. Allow lasagna to rest 20 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve. Spoon a little extra sauce over each serving and top with a basil leaf, if desired. *Recipe provided courtesy of southeastdairy.org

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Carolina Conversations with

METHODIST UNIVERSITY

Head Baseball Coach

T OM A U ST I N

by Thad Mumau | Photography by Diana Matthews

T

om Austin has quietly become a legend. His Methodist University baseball field is tucked behind the main campus and far from the highway, so people aren’t aware of the history being made there.

Entering the current season, Austin’s Monarchs had won 1,086 games during his 36-year tenure as their coach.

He is a giant in his profession and certainly in NCAA Division III baseball record books.

His teams have had 17 30-win seasons and have never won fewer than 22 games in a season. Methodist has won 21 conference (Dixie and USA South Atlantic) championships, earned 22 Division III National Tournament berths and has been to the College World Series six times, finishing as national runner-up in 1995.

Austin is an 11-time conference Coach of the Year and twice was named the North Carolina College Coach of the Year.

ONC: Tell us about your love of baseball. Was it always your favorite sport?

TA: There was a tug of war with football early. During the recruiting process, a baseball coach talked about the number of injuries sustained while playing football vs. baseball. He made sense. I chose to play baseball.

But then coaching football was fun. I was a defensive coordinator. I slowly began to enjoy the approach to coaching baseball more than football. I think the variety of skills required in baseball made it more challenging to me, and the variety kept it interesting.

Is there someone who was a strong influence on you growing up?

My father instilled my work ethic—without a doubt. He was the hardest working man I ever saw. Several high school coaches had profound effects on me from the coaching standpoint. Both of my college coaches were good men and that sealed the deal. I knew I wanted to coach.

Your coaching style—make things happen, don’t beat yourself ... How did you choose that way?

My sophomore year in high school, we got beat in the district tournament by a bunt when our pitcher was throwing a perfect game. We led 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh. He struck out the first batter on a curve 52

OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

ball that got caught by our catcher. With a runner on first, the next batter bunted to our third baseman who threw it away. With runners now on second and third, two outs later, they got their only hit of the game and we lost 2-1. I realized the power of the bunt. In junior college, Jay Bergman, my coach, allowed me to run on my own.

I set the junior college record in Florida for stolen bases.

I broke Mickey Rivers’ record. At least, that is what I was told. Got a nice trophy for it. I still have the trophy.

I saw the havoc that running could create and loved the excitement. It also made me begin to study the game more, like looking for a curve ball to run on. The running game became cerebral, so I think that is what started my small ball approach. As a high school coach, we destroyed so many opponents with the bunt and running game that it really excited me. I tried to carry that concept into my college coaching. We also did not hit many three-run homers. Ha! Is there a coach or major league manager you have patterned yourself after?

What coach does not want to be compared to Tony La Russa? Make the pitching changes at the right time.

Choose the correct pinch hitter. Give your players the best chance to win. My two college coaches, Jay Bergman and Boyd Coffie, were a great influence on me. They were always so calm and collected. You can’t make good decisions when you are angry.

CONTINUED PAGE 54

APRIL 2016 |

OutreachNC.com 53

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52

Is it difficult not to favor a player who always hustles, plays hard and gets the most out of what he has?

We try to build our program around playing the game the right way. I like a quote from Joe DiMaggio: “Some people may get to see me play only once, so I owe it to them to play hard all the time.” Our players should run hard for 90 feet.

They should hustle! The players that play the game the right way are always your favorite.

Although baseball is played by a team, it breaks down to individuals’ ability to perform. So, how do you motivate your teams?

Everyone has a role to play. Pitcher vs. hitter is mano a mano!

Man vs. man. But when the ball is hit, many times several players must act in a coordinated fashion to get the out.

Sometimes it takes more than one hit to score a run. Our offensive practice revolves around “get ’em on, get ’em over and get ’em in.” If we score one, they must score two to beat us. Defensively, we try to prevent the big inning.

Is there a big difference in your players now and the ones you had in your early years of coaching?

Yes! I feel the player today is a better hitter, thrower and catcher. But they are sometimes really lacking in a team-play concept. Travel ball does not demand advancing runners, bunting, hitting behind a runner, taking a pitch. It is about big innings and showcasing talent.

How about you? Is there a big difference in you as a coach then and now?

All my players say I have mellowed. I hope I have continued to learn more about the game. I hope I am a better coach today than I was when I started. I know I am. Experience is a great teacher.

Is it a coach’s responsibility to attempt to help build young people into adults with good character?

I have always felt my job included a charge to help young men grow up. I cannot say I have always been successful but I have tried. We want our players to respect themselves, the game, umpires, opponents, teammates, their coaches, parents, professors, roommates and anyone they come in contact with.

Ultimately, we ask them to do what is right. If they do that, they will have a great four years at MU and a great life.

Do you second-guess yourself? Or, can you honestly leave it all in the dugout when you go home?

Within the game, I second-guess myself all the time. If the play does not work, if the pitch is hit, should I have sent him? Of course you second-guess. But once the game is over, I try to leave it at the field. My family is not responsible for our play.

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What planning do you do in the offseason?

I am an incessant reader. I try to stay on top of the latest training techniques, strategies and philosophies. I go to the ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) national convention and clinic every year. I try not to miss any sessions. We try to make an improvement to our facility every year. This year has seen the greatest improvements to the program ever.

With the help of players’ parents, friends and alumni, we have done great things this year. A new locker room behind the third-base base dugout, a brick wall from dugout to dugout with netting, concrete padding for the fans, radiant heaters in our batting cages, new roofing on the cages and cart room. Unbelievable!

Are relationships with players a reward for you?

Yes. There are so many dear friends from teams I have coached. I am still in contact with players from my high school coaching days at Bishop Moore High School in Orlando, Florida. Some ex-MU players have been great friends and have done so much for our program. I love them.

What is so special about baseball?

My wife says that I handle defeats better then I handle change. She might have something there. You know, the game has not changed much since I was born. The players change but not the game. There is beauty in that. I also love the variety of skills needed to put the team together and the skills it takes to play the game. My players’ ages don’t change much, 18-22. They definitely keep me feeling young.

What a blessing they are.

As you grow older, is it hard to imagine life without it?

Thad, you’re trying to make me cry. I hope I can stay involved in the game until God calls me home. I hope he lets me be a player, though, instead of a coach. Life has been very good to me. I still have one son playing high school ball, and I love watching him play. I have two other sons who do not play anymore, but I love what they are doing to make this a better world. I have so many people to thank.

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OutreachNC.com 55

pointed pain relief

by Jonathan Scott | Photography by Diana Matthews

W

hen Hung-yuan Cheng speaks about his patients, his voice is full of compassion and confidence everyone looks for in a healthcare practitioner.

“When Mrs. Freeman came for her first visit,” he says, “she could barely walk on her own.”

Hazel Freeman, 91, of Sanford, came to Cheng’s Timeless Acupuncture clinic in Raleigh to receive treatments in a type of medicine that’s been practiced in China since at least the first century B.C. The system is based on the concept of meridians, channels of a subtle energy flowing around the human body, perhaps similar in some way to the circulatory system.

Disease, ill-health, pain and discomfort are considered to originate when this subtle energy, or qi (pronounced chee), becomes blocked.

The goal of acupuncture is to restore health by stimulating certain critical points in the meridians where the qi needs to be freed.

For some raised in the philosophies of Western medicine, this sort of philosophy may sound superstitious, but a Western study, published in 2012, reported that “meridians and acupoints have many biophysical properties, which are different from those of nonacupuncture points.” But even before this study was released, the World Health Organization had recognized acupuncture as an effective treatment for more than 35 common illnesses.

Cheng, a native of China who grew up in Ohio, also studied geriatric occupational therapy. He is naturally a strong proponent for acupuncture but is eager to bridge the gap between East and West.

“There’s a move today toward what’s called ‘integrative medicine,’” Cheng says. “Doctors are saying things like, ‘Before you consider surgery or strong painkillers, try acupuncture.’ Duke and Rex Hospitals refer patients to us. Johns Hopkins is using it. It’s been proven to be very effective for things like relieving the side effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients.”

When asked what sorts of other conditions can be helped by acupuncture, Cheng is quick to reply, “Pretty much everything.”

That may be so, but the majority of cases he treats involve pain relief and restoring flexibility, as was the case for Hazel Freeman.

“I had been having back problems for a number of years,” she says. “Last October, I had a fall. Fortunately, I didn’t break anything, but I started to have bursitis pain. A friend recommended trying acupuncture and I thought: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

With the approval of her adult children, Freeman went to Cheng’s clinic. She learned that, despite the sound of the name of the procedure, nothing gets “punctured.”

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OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

For more information on Timeless Acupuncture, located at 3722 Benson Drive in Raleigh, contact 919-850-0208 or www.timelessacupuncture.com.

Rather, extremely thin needles are placed at very specific points in acupuncture’s conceived meridians to promote the movement of the qi energy. They aren’t the size of the needles you would encounter for flu shots. The shafts are so fine, they could actually fit inside the hole of a traditional needle.

The knowledge of the acupuncture critical points is part of a system that’s been developed and refined over time. To become fully competent in this complex science, Cheng attained a master’s degree in Oriental medicine, doing his postgraduate work in both the U.S. and China.

Still, to our Western mind, the system might seem exotic.

“I thought it was strange,” Freeman says. “I was being treated for pain in my hip, and he was putting pins in my right arm.”

Acupuncture is painless, although most people can at least sense when the needles are being applied. The practitioner may slightly and occasionally wiggle the needles to promote the flow of qi.

Other than that, the patient is left to relax while the treatment works, usually for a half hour or more.

“I used to fall asleep on the table,” Freeman says. “I could actually feel the pain getting better.”

In most cases, it takes multiple sessions for patients to feel improvement. Cheng says that his patients usually receive five or six treatments once a week. Freeman, whose discomfort was severe, took five weekly treatments and one every other week for three months.

“Our clinic sees patients with migraines, orthopedic problems of the neck, hip and arm, neuropathy and post-surgical pain,” Cheng says.

“A gentleman in his late 70s came to us,” Cheng says. “He had a partly torn rotator cuff and frozen shoulder. His physician had told him that his case was inoperable. In six treatments of acupuncture, the patient had recovered and had free use of his arm.”

That type of situation is an example of why the non-invasive style of acupuncture can be particularly appropriate for older adults.

“Many older patients have conditions that make other forms of treatment difficult,” Cheng explains. “Traditional physical therapy might just be too hard for them, or they might have diabetes or be taking blood thinners. These things present no problem for acupuncture.”

Although Freeman is living a full and active life, she’s not entirely free of pain. The effects of age on her back still put some restrictions on her movement, but she is an inspiration for all who want to have health and vitality in their 90s. Her attractive smile and good nature are, at least in a small part, due to relief from her hip pain. “Acupuncture allowed me comfort,” she says. “I highly recommend it.”

Freeman plans to return for periodic acupuncture treatments.

She is feeling so good that, with a little help from her daughter, she’ll drive herself to the appointments.

APRIL 2016 |

OutreachNC.com 57

Still in the Game to Make a Difference

GAME ON

by Thad Mumau | Photography by Diana Matthews

A

s a star basketball player at Wake Forest University, Fayetteville’s Amy Perko exemplified what a student-athlete should be. Now, a big part of her job is making sure the term student-athlete is properly defined and that it retains credibility.

Perko is the executive director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. It is an independent group of university presidents, faculty, trustees and former student-athletes who advocate for policy changes that improve safety and academics in college sports.

The commission, which was formed in 1989, has no formal authority within the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association).

What it does is make recommendations.

“Many of our recommendations,” Perko says, “have to do with ensuring that athletic programs operate within the educational mission of the universities.”

That has not always been the case, with graduation rates in recent decades plummeting to embarrassing levels for college football and basketball players. One of the problems has been that athletes have often taken courses that keep them academically eligible but do not always move them closer to a degree.

“A number of the policies we have recommended have been adopted,” Perko says.

“One adopted in 2011 requires teams be on track to graduate at least 50 percent of their players in order to be eligible for postseason. The academic system in place today requires that athletes show progress toward a degree. There is accountability.”

Amy Privette graduated from Kannapolis High School, and although she was recruited by other colleges, Wake Forest was the place for her. Two older sisters were already there when she entered with partial scholarships for academics and athletics.

She played basketball at Wake and twice earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors while setting just about every school record there was (some she still holds). She was a three-time Academic All-America selection and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude in 1987, while being named the Deacons’ Female Athlete of the Year.

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After earning a master’s degree in sports management from the University of Richmond, Perko worked six years with the NCAA and then at the University of Kansas as an associate athletics director. The next stop was the NBA, which made her president of the Fayetteville Patriots, an NBA developmental league team.

She joined the Knight Commission in 2003 and became its executive director two years later. Much of her work is done from her Fayetteville home, where she lives with her husband, Rick, and their daughters, Anna and Kate.

Both girls are involved in sports, and both are encouraged to compete while keeping everything in perspective. Playing to win without having to win. Trying their best without having to be the best.

“Rick and I try to emphasize the lessons to be learned from sports,” Perko says, “and we want them to have fun. We want Kate and Anna to be passionate about their own paths, and we make sure not to push our passion onto them.

“Being a part of a team is important because of the camaraderie, the friendships formed, the common goal of everyone on that team. It’s good to be a tough competitor, and it is good to keep everything in perspective.”

It would be nice if all parents did that, universities and their boosters, too.

“Yes, having priorities that are in the right order is an important part.” Perko says. “We try to steer universities and their athletic programs in that direction. The Knight Commission is emphasizing that more attention be paid to athletes’ health, injuries and academics.”

There are long hours spent in telephone conversations and there is considerable travel to attend meetings, conferences and conventions, and lots and lots of talk in hopes of a few results.

But those results can be profound.

“I like what I’m doing,” she says, “because I believe in the role college sports can play. I also believe the Knight Commission has made a positive and significant contribution toward that and toward improving the college experience for athletes.”

The reward, in any endeavor, is progress, and Perko knows progress is being made, in large part because of the Knight Commission.

“We put a goal out there—to improve graduation rates, and this past year, the NCAA had its highest graduation rates ever. College athletics are bringing in large amounts of money, and we are pushing the NCAA to use a good deal of it to improve safety issues being addressed by our recommendations.

“The important thing is that we are making a difference.”

APRIL 2016 |

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GREY MATTER See Grey Matter Puzzle Answers on Page 62

Acre

Asia

Dies

Eggs

Game

Poor

Ages

Bolt

Dolly

Ends

Germ

Pops

Aims

Broom

Dream

Fact

Giant

Pure

Ally

Chose

Drop

Flood

Glass

Rail

Also

Clam

Echo

Focus

Glow

Sale

Hail

Scar

Hairs

Seen

Heat

Seldom

Hide

Sewing

Hike

Shaking

Huts

Shoot

Illustrations

Slit

Irish

Some

Lady

Spit

Lame

Sprang

Lava

Team

Lazy

Toes

Lunar

Tool

Male

Train

March

Ways

Masks

Which

Multiplication Will Outside

Wood

Oval

ACROSS 1. Gulf war missile 5. To sow again 10. Sylvester, to Tweety 13. French door part

60

20. Dusk, to Donne 14. Park place?

21. Health agency 15. Female sheep 16. Impossible to avoid 22. Loss of ability to read 18. “Dig in!”

23. Bug 19. Short novel

OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

25. PC linkup 26. Chic-___ Mountains in Quebec 28. Avid 29. Church 31. Fourposter, e.g.

32. An ancestor 35. Charge 36. Indian tribes 37. Perfume 39. Game on horseback 40. Harvest goddess 43. Those residing in Haiti 46. Flatfish 48. Baseball’s Master Melvin 49. Couple 50. Word in the Second Amendment 51. Morgue, for one 52. Stringently enforced 54. Ashes holder 55. Fine fur 56. In ___ of 57. Undertake, with “out” 58. Query before “Here goes!”

59. Aims

DOWN 1. Kind of column 2. Kind of oil 3. Odd

4. Fix 5. To plunder or pillage 6. Victorian, for one 7. Cavalry weapon 8. One who stares 9. Twerp 10. Highschooler 11. Kept ready for 12. Tie up 14. Knight in shining armor 17. Overused expression 23. Polar covers 24. Ban 27. Airy 29. Colgate rival 30. Rotating to the left, shortened 32. Feeling remorse for one’s sins 33. Soup cracker 34. Common auxiliary verb 35. Distinct parts of the face 37. To perfume with incense 38. “Take your pick” 40. Acquire 41. Composed 42. Position 44. Cognizant 45. Actress Shearer 47. M-1, for one 50. A bunch of 53. “___ not!”

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GREY MATTER ANSWERS

SUDOKU

6

Ways

to Eat for Your Age

by Rachel Stewart

W 1 2 3 4

hat a person needs nutritionally now may not be the same as it was five or 10 years ago. Senses of smell and taste can also change for many older adults, causing them to experience decreased appetite. Here’s how to eat—and stay healthy.

CROSSWORD

Start every meal with a sip. Dehydration is a common issue for many seniors, since they may lose the sense of thirst.

Pour a glass of water first thing in the morning (before your cup of coffee or tea) and pack bottled water if you’re going on a walk or running errands.

Make your calories count. When you’re not very hungry, you may be tempted to grab a soda or a processed snack to keep your energy up. Steer clear of empty calories and aim for a more satisfying snack, such as apple slices with peanut butter or whole wheat crackers with cheddar cheese.

Get more vitamin B. After age 50, your body might have greater trouble absorbing vitamin B from the foods you eat. This is because your stomach is making less gastric acid. Talk to your doctor about whether a B12 supplement could give you more energy.

WORD SEARCH

Don’t forget the D. Vitamin D keeps your bones strong, decreasing the risk of fracture or conditions such as osteoporosis. Find this important vitamin in fortified milk, cereals and egg yolks. You can also get your daily dose through 15 minutes of sunshine. (Be sure to slather on sunscreen once the 15 minutes are up!)

5

Eat the right kinds of fat. Fat often gets labeled as a nutritional bad guy, but the right kinds of fat can help keep you feeling satisfied after a meal and even help improve your health. Good sources include fatty fish and plant-based oils, such as olive oils. If you’re eating around 2,000 calories a day, limit fat intake to 400 to 700 calories, per the National Institutes of Health.

6

Fill up with fiber. Irregularity often becomes a regular problem. Instead of reaching for a chalky fiber powder, have a piece of fruit or bowl of oatmeal instead. When making smoothies, add flax seed or protein powder to keep things moving.

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OutreachNC.com | APRIL 2016

life

G E N T L E M A N ’ S N OT E B O O K

Romance of Trees Is in the Air

by Ray Linville

I

love springtime. As the late comedian Robin Williams said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”

You know it’s party time when clouds of pollen swirl over your head as a quick breeze lifts the tiny powdery granules. Golden smoke is everywhere this month. You cannot avoid breathing it, stepping in it, or having it cling to your hair or clothes.

Every morning when I open the door and see my car covered in yellow-green dust, I know that nature is partying. Pollen is the male element in the fertilization of seed plants. (Once again, the males are to blame.)

Even after a car is cleaned, less than 24 hours later, it’s covered in pollen again. Save your money and postpone the wash until next month. Just wash yourself; otherwise, you’ll look like a clown speckled with glitter.

The golden smoke motivates us to listen more attentively to weather news and heed the pollen reports, although WRAL meteorologist Greg Fishel acknowledges they are reported irregularly and “featured more when counts are especially high.”

The smart folks at the N.C. Division of Air Quality tell us that there are three types of pollen grains: trees, grasses and weeds. In April, the pollen producers are primarily trees; grass pollen peaks in the summer and weeds increase in pollen production in early fall.

For some reason, DAQ has only one pollen sampler for the entire state, and it’s located in Raleigh. But, we

in central North Carolina, don’t need DAQ to tell us if the count is low, moderate or high. We can tell from the pollen layers on our cars.

April is notorious here for having a high count. The Pollen Library lists more than 90 trees that grow in our area and that contribute so much to our misery during their pollination periods.

Fishel says that the dominant tree pollens through midApril are oak, juniper, birch and pine. The yellow pine pollen really takes off “a day or two into April. It usually takes about two to four weeks to run its course,” he says.

Although many people in our area think that pine pollen is the cause of our discomfort, oak pollen instead is what bothers us the most. Oaks and pines flower at the same time, but oak pollen is invisible. Pine pollen is so obvious that it receives the brunt of the blame.

Celebrate spring and appreciate the romance of trees. If it wasn’t for pollen, they’d quickly disappear.

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OutreachNC.com 65

Generations

by Carrie Frye | Photography by Diana Matthews

OutreachNC asked adults and children our April question. Share your answer on our Facebook page.

What is your favorite fruit or vegetable, and how do you like to eat it?

Fresh spinach sautéed in lemoninfused olive oil with a little salt and pepper. —Judy 68

Banana. It’s good, easy to peel, has lots of potassium and makes me feel like a monkey afterwards! —Ellen, 71

A strawberry milkshake with cherries on top and yellow peppers with Italian dressing. —Rana, 9

Fresh green beens tossed with oil and roasted on a baking sheet and finished with fresh Parmesan. —Ray 68

Blueberries, and I love to eat them in my cereal. —Lynne, 52

A peeled apple whole. —Daniel, 11

Apples. I love them fresh or cooked into anything. —Shirley, 74

—Kyle, 11

Bananas. Always in season.

—Barbara, 84

The old reliable potato. When I’m angry, I can name it and mash it. I can stuff it with some of my other favorites. It can be fried, made into soup, is full of vitamins and fairly affordable. —Carol, 72 Peaches for peach cobbler, and turnip greens seasoned with ham. —Rodney, 56 Baked potatoes.

—Everett, 77

Strawberry pie. I bake one pie crust, spread cream cheese over it, place half quart of strawberries on top and make a sauce with the rest to put on top. Chill and serve with whipped cream. —Barbara, 85 Asparagus. I bake it with olive oil, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice. —Daryl, 68

Watermelon sliced and de-seeded.

Sweet peppers and ranch dressing.

—Evan 13

Carrots and ranch. —Caleb, 12 Kiwi sliced up. —Allie, 10 Sliced apples with peanut butter and cream cheese dip. —Jadslyn, 8 Sliced strawberries. —Nolan, 7 Apple, whole with my mouth. —Alex, 8

Cauliflower. Raw especially or cooked any way. —Karen 71

Strawberries with chocolate syrup.

Black raspberries, very ripe.

Tomatoes, but they also have to be ripe and from New Jersey. —Pat, 72

Strawberries. —Paige, 2

Corn on the cob. —Kathryn, 54

Cauliflower with ranch. —Isabella, 9

Acorn squash. I add a little brown sugar and butter and bake it.

—Cliff, 70

Tomatoes from the garden, sliced up with a little salt.

—Lynne, 50

Cantaloupe in fruit salad or a tomato off the vine.

—Faye, 76

—Maggie, 10

Apple with peanut butter. —Levi, 6 Apples and peanut butter. —Chloe, 12 Bananas, whole. —Jack, 7 Mushrooms. —Pearce, 9 Strawberry applesauce. —Cole, 8 Cantaloupe cut up in pieces. —Drew, 11 Bananas, cut up. —Ian, 6 Blueberries by the handful. —Amelia, 10 We love tangerines!

—Brothers Gabe, 12, and Luke, 8

Vegetables dripping with turkey gravy.

—OutreachNC Co-editor Jeeves, 2

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